Parents Urged To Keep Talking On Safer Internet Day 2023
Parents and carers are being asked to talk to their children about what they’re doing online as part of the fight to keep them safe from online harm.
Parents and carers are being asked to talk to their children about what they’re doing online as part of the fight to keep them safe from online harm.
Asking young people what they enjoy most about the internet can help make talking about what they do online a part of normal family life, say safety experts.
And by building it into everyday conversations, families can build trust and understanding so that if young people encounter a bad experience online they can talk about it with their parents or carers without fearing the consequences.
The call to start a conversation comes from the Derbyshire Community Safety Partnership
for Safer Internet Day on Tuesday, February 7, after research showed a mismatch between what children in Derbyshire are experiencing online compared to what their parents think is happening.
Cyberbullying, hate speech, grooming and exploitation are among the main ‘online harms’ that can affect young people.
According to a survey of primary school pupils and families in Derbyshire carried out last summer by i-vengers – a project commissioned jointly by Derbyshire County Council, Derby City Council and the Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner:
• 9% of parents said their children had been approached online by a stranger compared to 37% of school-age children who admitted this had happened.
• 9% of parents said their child had had a nasty comment online, compared to 32% of young people
• 14% of parents said their child went online when they should have been asleep whereas 30% of young people said they did.
Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Communities Councillor Carol Hart said: “You can see from the data that very often parents and carers don’t always know what is happening to their children online, or what their children are doing on the internet.
“This is understandable given that children spend such a lot of time online. But simply by having conversations about what they’re doing – such as asking them what they most like about it, for example, or if there’s anything they don’t like about it - can be useful.
“Making it part of your everyday conversations can help if anything bad happens online as they may find it easier to go to a parent or carer for help.”
The theme of Safer Internet Day 2023 is ‘Want to talk about it? Making space for conversations about life online’.
To mark it Derbyshire Community Safety Partnership is:
• Highlighting where parents can go to find ideas for conversation starters with their children.
• Visiting schools to talk to children about the dangers they might encounter online
• Holding webinars for professionals, parents and carers to help them protect themselves and their families online.
According to Ofcom, in their report into media usage and attitudes 2020/21, nationally:
• 55% of 12–15-year-olds said that they have had a “negative experience” online, with 30% saying that they had been contacted by someone they did not know who wanted to be their friend.
• One fifth of 12–15-year-olds said that they had accidentally spent money online that they did not intend to.
• Half of the 12–15-year-olds surveyed said that they had viewed “hateful content” aimed at people from particular groups based on their sexuality, gender, disability or religion.
Councillor Hart added: “A number of high-profile cases have made us more aware than ever of the dangers of being online. And while the internet is a great source of information and a platform for children to have fun with their friends and express themselves, it’s important for parents to understand what their children are accessing, and the risks associated with those sites, games and apps.”
According to Traci Good from i-vengers, conversations should be age-appropriate. Rather than talking about ‘grooming’ to an eight-year-old, parents might want to talk about strangers in the online chat. Openers include asking:
• What’s your favourite game? Can you explain it?
• Is there anything when you’re playing online that upsets you?
• What are the other people like who you play with?
Parents and carers are also encouraged to bring their own experience in, such as saying ‘Someone I don’t know said something hurtful about me online the other day. What should I do about it?’
Traci added: “Schools across the county and city are doing a great job when it comes to online safety, but we need this to be replicated at home. The data from the i-vengers survey shows a real disconnect when it comes to understanding what children are doing online and what parents and carers think. When we asked children why this is the case, they said they were worried they would get into trouble or have their devices removed.
“By having conversations with your children at home about what they are doing online and being a safe place to fall if things go wrong, children are more likely to seek advice and support from parents and carers. This will mean we can pick up small problems before they become big problems.”
Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner Angelique Foster said: “Derbyshire Constabulary has boosted its capabilities to tackle cyber-crime and increase child protection, but it is vital that we all remain vigilant and aware of the potential harm that can be taking place online. While it is critical that we make children and young people aware of the dangers, parents, guardians and those in places of authority must be made aware of the necessity to prevent harm in the first place. People also need to know how to recognise the signs of a problem, and how they can get help if it is needed.”
Derbyshire Police cybercrime unit are holding two webinars on general online safety, including starting conversations with young people, for anyone who uses email and the internet and wants to find out more about keeping safe online. The webinars focus on device safety, password guidance, protecting personal information, using social media safely, phishing emails, online shopping and banking safely, having conversations with young people, signposting to support and resources.
Booking is essential. To book a place visit eventbrite:
• Tues 7 Feb, 6.30pm https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/517467377857
• Weds 8 Feb, 1.30pm https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/517638228877
For more information about Safer Internet Day, including links to where families can find out more about starting a conversation with their children or grandchildren, visit www.derbyshire.gov.uk/saferinternetday
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